Assessment of Depression and Burnout Among Frontline Health Workers

Abstract

This mixed-methods investigation examined depression and burnout in frontline health workers (FHWs) in Pakistan amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative measures on 120 FHWs (doctors, nurses, and paramedics) showed alarming depression (85% moderately to extremely severe) and burnout levels, with the highest emotional exhaustion (mean=29.8) and depersonalization observed in nurses. The public sector and female workers had significantly poorer outcomes. Qualitative findings from 15 in-depth interviews pointed to drivers: emotional overload due to trauma and mortality, shortages of critical resources (e.g., PPE), institutional disregard of mental health, fear of clinical error, and gendered burdens. Converged findings, contextualized through the Job Demands-Resources model, illustrate how excessive demands and insufficient resources drive distress. Regardless of individual coping methods (e.g., spirituality, peer support), systemic failure prevails. Immediate, context-specific interventions such as policy shifts, workplace reforms, and anti-stigma efforts are recommended to promote FHW wellbeing and healthcare resilience.